Flashlight with adjustable head



Jan. 30, L, RIDDELL FLASHLIGHT WITH ADJUSTABLE HEAD Filed March 5, 1947 Fig. I. Fig. 2.

Fig. 4. Fig 5 II 36 39 3a 912 3o I5 29 i 26 29 I4 7 13 23 5 I9 2! 22 I3 R3 Fig. 7.

I ureutor Leo Harold Riddell WWW Patented Jan. 30, 1951 FLASHLIGHT WITH ADJUSTABLE HEAD Leo H. Riddell, Saint Vincent. de Paul, Quebec, Canada, assignor of thirty per cent to Gordon J. Turner, Montreal, Quebec, Canada Application March 3, 1947:, Serial No. 732,017

2' Claims.

The present invention relates to portable and pocket type flashlights and flash lamps and has more particular reference to av style thereof which. is expressly, but not necessarily, adapted to be strapped or otherwise fastened on the users wrist and is characterized by a novel swingab-ly mounted head structure which ma be adjusted in such a way that the light beam may be projected to take varying angular position in relationship to the relatively fixed battery case which carries. said head.

Swingably and tiltably mounted light ray focusing heads are not new on flashlights. In fact, the, prior art exhibits a number of structurally different approaches utilizing the tiltable head principle. Also, and by the same token, various ways and means are provided in prior art devices for delivering the current from dry cell batteries to the adjustable head to provide a continuous supply of current as long as the hand tripped switch is on. While this information is not absolutely essential inasmuch as it is to an extent common knowledge in this line of endeavor, it paves the way and provides a background from which the reader may best consider, by contrast, the invention herein disclosed.

The primary object of. the present invention is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon prior art devices in this fieldv of invention presently known to me- Hence, one obiect of the invention is to. provide a specifically new type of head construction which is pivotally swingable on outstanding parallel ears carried by one end portion of the batter case.

Another object of the invention is to take advantage of one of the case journaling pivots by utilizing; same as a current conductor means which delivers the current froma hand controlled switch to an incandescent bulb.

A further object of the invention, somewhat more specifically speaking, appertains to a battery current pickup arrangement which delivers current from the battery source to the incandescent lamp, this by way of a spring pressed contact, the latter having the additional function of a latch and coacting with keeper seats in a keeper member with which the latch coordinates.

Other objects and advantages will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings.

In the drawings, wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure I is a view which may be conveniently designated as a front elevation or top plan. (with the device. lying fiat down) of a flashlight constructed in accordance with the structural and functional principles of the instant invention.v

Figure 2 is an end elevation, that is a'vi'ew observing one vertical end of Figure 1 in a direction from right to. left.

Figure 3 is a view like Figure 1 observing same in a direction from left to right.

Figurev 4 is a central sectional view through Figure 1 with the dry cells or batteries and other elements inelevation.

Figure 5- is a view at right angles to Figure 4 through the right hand. end structure of Figure 4 and taken approximately 011 the plane of the line 55 of Figure 4,. looking in the direction of th arrows.

Figure 6 is a view in end elevation observing Figure 4 from right to left with the upper lug at the right removed and the head structure and other parts omitted for clearness of illustration.

Figure '7 is a top plan View, that is, a top plan view based on Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings by distinguishing reference numerals, th unit characterized primarily as the battery case is denoted by the numeral 9 and the adjustable. head structure, as a unitary assemblage, is denoted by the numeral Ill. Briefly, the. battery case 9 is of approximate shape as shown adapted to be fastened on one s wrist when in use, is closed at one end to provide a holder and, provided at said closed end with a pair of substantially parallel outwardl projecting and suitabl spaced lugs or ears H and I2. Itis open at the other end but normally closed by an appropriate cover I3 which is snapped and held in place by detents IA as shown in Figure 1. An externally surrounding channel or groove 15 is provided and this contains a flexible strap or band (6 (see. Figure 7) which. facilitates clamping th device on the users wrist. The surface which is adapted to contact the wrist is somewhat concaved to facilitate a comfortable fit. The head structure. [-0 is, in a general sense, in the form of a substantially cylindrical barrel lt a which is eccentrically pivoted between the ears H and 12 in a manner to permit it to be swung and tilted to accomplish desired beam focusing results.

Referring now to the jacket or case 9 this is constructed of any suitable material and is adapted to containv either a specially constructed dry cell battery, or a pair of regular or standard type dry cells H and 9-8 (see Figure 4) with the batteries inserted in reversev order thus placing one contact button down as at is and the remaining button 20 facing up. As brought out advantageously in Figure 4 the inside of the cover is provided with a projection 2| carrying a dry cell connector or battery strip 22 of metal having one offset end 23 contacting the exposed bottom of the dry cell IT having its opposite end 24 in electrical connection with the button l9. A switch forming member, a simple metal strip 25, is slidably mounted in a guide 26 formed therefor in one wall of the casing. This strip has a bent brush 26a which is in slidable contact with a bared portion 21 of the dry cell I 8. The other end of the switch, that is the end denoted at '28 is a circuit make and break element and is shiftable in an adapter recess provided therefor in ear [2. A substantially L-shaped current take-off unit is provided for coaction with the button 20. One branch or arm, the part 29 in Figure 4, reaches into the battery compartment and rests in contact with the button 20. The other branch, which is substantially Y-shaped is suitably embedded in a recess 30a provided therefor in the ear II. The head portion 30 of the Y-branch is provided with a plurality of indentations defining selectively usable keeper seats 3| for reception Of a spring pressed combination detent and contact pin 32 mounted in a spring containing casing 33 in one end of the barrel and carrying a wire 34 electrically connected with the socket portion of a reflector 35. I

The socket portion carries an incandescent bulb 3B coacting with the reflector and the reflector is seated removably on the rim of a lateral neck 31 provided on one side and centrally of the barrel [0a. The neck is externally threaded and accommodates a ring 38 which holds in place a glass or equivalent lens 39. Reference being had to the current circuiting means to the right in Figure 4. Here, I call attention to the fact that one end of the barrel is provided with a suitable recess forming a bearing for a boss 49 on the inner surface of the ear 12. The boss, fitting into the recess, provides assembling and journaling means for the coacting end of said barrel.

In addition to observing that the journaling recess is eccentrically offset, it will be noted that it is centrally apertured to accommodate a bushing 4| which bushing, in turn, carries a contact pin 42 provided for accommodation of the switch element 28. The pin 42 in turn has a wire 43 which delivers current, by way of .a contact strip 44, to the button on the bulb 36. Then, too, there is a slot 45 in the ear I2 which accommodates a thumb button 46 connected to the switch for shifting the switch on and oil in an obvious sliding operation.

There is a similar bushing eccentrically mounted and threaded in place on the opposite end of the barrel Ina, said bushing denoted by the numeral 41 in Figure 4. The bushing 41 has a smooth-bore forming a bearing to accommodate the smooth surface journal-pin formed on the shank of screw 48. The latter. is threaded into a holewhich is tapped and provided therefor in the lug I I. It is obvious therefore that by thus cradling the barrel between the ears cradled barrel, current is at all times supplied to the lamp by way of the means described. Also the means for circuiting the current on one side is not only :a conductor but also a latching detent for coaction with the keeper seats, whereby to provide a current circuiting and latching arrangement in a simple combination of parts.

Changes in shape, size, materials and rearrangement of details and parts may be resorted toin actual practice, so long as they do not depart from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims, as is well understood.

I claim:

1.1m a flashlight construction of the class described, a case including a battery chamber, open at one end and closed at the opposite end, a closing cap for said open end, the closed end of said case being provided with integral outstanding parallel cars, a switch element slidably mounted in said case and having one end projecting into the battery chamber and the opposite end projecting slidably into one of said ears, a thumb button connected to said switch element and slidably mounted on said one ear in a manner to slide and operate said switch element, an L-shaped current conducting member having a Y-branch at one end fixedly embedded in the remaining ear and including spaced depressions forming selectively usable detent seats, the other branch of said L-shaped member projecting into the battery chamber for coaction with a battery when the latter is in place in said chamber, a barrel swingably cradled between said ears, said barrel including a lamp having contact means, a contact pin carried by and projecting through one end of the barrel for coaction with the switch element, and a spring pressed detent pin projectably mounted in the remaining end of said barrel and exposed for coaction with said seats, said detent pin being electrically connected with the contact means.

2. A flashlight of the class shown and described comprising a case including a battery chamber open at one end and closed at the opposite end, a readily applicable and removable closing cap for the open end of said chamber, said case, at the closed end of said chamber, being provided with integral outstanding spaced parallel ears, one of said ears being provided with a switch adapter recess and a complemental bored boss constituting a journal, a circuit make and break switch element slidably mounted in said case and having one end projecting into the battery chamber and its opposite end slidably reciprocable in said adapter recess, a switch control button slidably mounted on said one ear and connected to the switch element for operating the latter, an L-shaped current conducting member having one branch projecting into said battery chamber and having its other branch mounted in the remaining ear, the last-named branch being of Y-shaped form, the head of the Y having selectively usable accessible depressions providing detent seats, a lamp barrel interposed between said cars, a lamp mounted on said barrel and provided with contact means, one end of said barrel being opposed to said first-named ear and having a bearing, said journal projecting into said bearing and pivotally supporting the stated end of said barrel, a contact pin mounted in said one end of the barrel, said pin projecting through said journal and into said adapter recess and into the path of movement of the coacting end of said switch element, an electrical connection between said contact pin and lamp, the opposite end of said barrel being provided with a'bushing adapted to accommodate a pivoting bolt, a pivoting bolt mounted in the remaining ear REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

. UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Number Name Date Newgold Mar. 12, 1901 Hofimann Sept. 27, 1921 Ivie Apr. 7, 1925 Koepke Nov. 16, 1937 Koepke July 4, 1939 Johnson Oct. 20, 1942 Muldoon June 4, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date England Mar. 1, 1926 

